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Dinosaurs, Time Travel... And Nazis!

3/19/2013

 
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by Matman

What happens when the Allies and Nazis develop traveling technology that could change the course of World War II?

'Chronos Commandos: Dawn Patrol' # 1 tells this very story! Written and drawn by Stuart Jennett, this five issue series begins in May and is a guaranteed 'Matman Must Read'. But lets not take my work for it... lets ask Stuart!

Matman: So tell us about where the idea for 'Chronos Commandos' came from?

Stuart: Well apart from sci-fi and fantasy I’ve always had an obsession with WW2 and dinosaurs from my early pre-Star Wars childhood. I’d been working in the games industry for what felt like forever and after discovering a new found passion for writing I was itching to get my teeth back into something narrative and comics related. I’ve always liked mixing up genres in my work and that’s when the WW2 meets dinosaur’s thing started to cement itself in a fuzzy corner of my brain. I think the T-Rex amongst the butterflies was the first image I locked onto then the time pod stood within the jungle clearing. I guess from there once I had the basics of the squad and a rough seek and destroy mission outline things began to flesh themselves out into what it is today although initially the ending of issue 1 was quite different as it was only ever meant to be a one off short story. It was initially completed many years ago as a black and white strip but I’d taken so long completing it around a number of full time jobs that I was pretty unsatisfied with the end result and kind of put it on the back burner for a number of years. I guess it was about a year ago with me now working completely digitally the seed of revisiting it again as a fully digitally painted strip really started to appeal to me and so I kind of started over from scratch, just to get it out of my system if anything.

Matman: So what else have you done in the industry?

Stuart: Previously I’d worked at Marvel UK back in the very early 90’s on their Warheads title. It was a 3 issue run that I kind of cringe on looking back but I learned so much in such a short space of time it was an invaluable experience. I was also nearing completion on a 4 part mini series for them as well named Ripwire until the closure of that studio.

Matman: So here is my time where I stereotype any comic creator from the UK! Have you ever worked on 2000 AD, Judge Dredd or Doctor Who?

Stuart: Yeah as most British artists finding their way into the comics industry I’d done a few pieces here and there for 2000 AD, a future shock and a few bits of Judge Dredd filler art, back covers etc.

Our thanks to Stuart for taking the time to chat.

To order 'Chronos Commandos # 1' just go to page 345 of the March Previews Guide under Titan Comics.


The Saints Row IV Trailer Is So Good, You Guys!!!

3/18/2013

 
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by Brian LeTendre

I absolutely love the Saints Row series of games. Saints Row 2 and Saints Row: The Third are both among my favorite games this console generation. Between their super campy storylines, wonderfully disturbed worlds and chaotic gameplay, these games are a blast to play.

Last week, the first trailer for the upcoming Saints Row IV was released, and it perfectly encapsulates everything I love about the series. Apparently the storyline this time around invlves the Third Street Saints ascending to the White House, so I can only imagine the international incidents that will follow. 

Feast your eyes on this trailer, and then help me build a time machine so it can be August right now.

Runners On Kickstarter

3/17/2013

 
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From our good friend Sean Wang...

Thanks everybody who has helped so far to fully fund the Runners Kickstarter project, and for those who haven't yet, there's still time to get in on the action! The campaign has now passed the midway point, with only TWO short weeks to go before it ends on March 28, so be sure to get your pledge in today!
 
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/621975803/runners-the-big-snow-job-graphic-novel
 
Already, the Kickstarter project has been a great success, meeting its initial goal of $6000 in the first two days and the first stretch goal of $8500 (which means I can print the book in the U.S.) just a few days later. Recently, the project also passed $13,500, unlocking a super-fun 11"x17" Battle Royale print of all the characters from Runners: The Big Snow Job in one big epic slugfest!
 
http://runnersuniverse.com/2013/03/new-kickstarter-stretch-goal-battle-royale-print/
 
And at the next stretch goal of $18,000, I will add an extra 8 pages to the graphic novel, chock full of cool new bonus content, including character turnarounds of the entire crew!

Review--Ehmm Theory #1 (Action Lab)

3/16/2013

 
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by Brian LeTendre

At the end of last year, Action Lab announced their launch of a new imprint that would be aimed at mature readers called “Danger Zone.” One of the first books under the new imprint was Double Jumpers, which we talked about on the show a while back.

One of the upcoming books under the Danger Zone imprint is Ehmm Theory, an off-the-wall horror/comedy featuring an undead protagonist and his talking kitten. While the book won’t be shipping until May, the fine folks at Action Lab gave Secret Identity a sneak peek at the first issue.


Written by Brockton McKinney with art by Larkin Ford and Jason Strutz, Ehmm Theory follows the story of Gabriel Ehmm, a guy who winds up dead after being on the wrong side of a misunderstanding with his girlfriend. Instead of a peaceful existence in the afterlife, Gabriel wakes up in Purgatory with a talking kitten. A guy calling himself Saint Peter shows up and tells Gabriel he has to earn his way into Heaven--and that’s where things get weird. Teleporters, midget zombie clowns and axe-wielding old ladies combine to shift the story into overdrive, and by the end of the issue, both Gabriel and the reader are questioning just what the heck is going on around here.


Ehmm Theory #1 is definitely original, and it’s a fun read from beginning to end. Plenty of questions are raised in this first installment that have me looking forward to the next issue.  I think it’s safe to say what happens next will be very interesting.


4 out of 5 Kittens and Clowns


You can order Ehmm Theory #1 at your LCS now, as it’s shipping in May. For more info on all of Action Lab’s books, head over to www.actionlabcomics.com


One Direction... The Comic Book

3/14/2013

 
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Press Release

The sequel to one of the most popular comic books in the "Fame" series is out on March 6th.  One Direction is one of the biggest sensations in the world today. In this issue we document their fame  since they were formed.  See what One Direction a British-Irish boy band consisting of members Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson have been doing with their FAME in comic book form!

“Fame: One Direction #2” is written by Michael Troy and art by Jill Lamarina.  The new comic features two covers, one by Jill Lamarina and the other by David T. Cabera.

“One Direction is one of the hottest boy bands right now and it was a blast writing a comic book about them,” said writer Michael Troy. 

“The 1st issue was a huge success that we wanted to tell more of their stories,” said publisher Darren G. Davis “Not only are these comic books fun, but they can be used as a tool for reluctant readers.” 

Also being re-released, “Fame: One Direction” #1 with a new homage cover to the classic comic book “Giant Sized X-men #1.” This issue will be exclusively digital on ITunes as well as print.

The homage covers by Jon Woodard previously featured Demi Lovato in homage to Batgirl, Honey Boo Boo as homage to Wonder Woman and Big Time Rush in homage to the 1st appreacence of the Justice League. 

To order all the comic books exclusively at Comic Flea Market in print for $3.99 please click here: T http://bit.ly/XKXzyo

Digital copies will also be available for $1.99. Download the comic to your e-reader from iTunes, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, ComiXology, Google Books, DriveThru Comics, Wowio, iVerse, and more.

Upcoming comic biographies are Adele & Paul McCartney. 

Bluewater’s biography comic book series has been embraced by the media and featured on television news outlets including The Today Show and on CNN. The series has also been featured in many publications such as The Los Angeles Times, MTV, Time Magazine, and People Magazine.


One Guy's Opinion: Fans Share Some Of The Blame For How The Industry Treats Its Creators

3/14/2013

 
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by Brian LeTendre

There was quite a buzz on the internet last week following a post by comic veteran Jerry Ordway on his personal blog.

The gist of Ordway’s post was that despite his long and illustrious history in comics, particularly with DC, he’s found himself marginalized as of late, by a company who continues to make money off of his work while paying him very little in royalties. He wasn’t being bitter at all, merely pointing out that there isn’t a lot of respect given to the comic veterans today, and a lot of talented veterans are finding it difficult to get work. He was also asking comic fans to be vocal about wanting to see these veterans on Marvel, DC and other big publishers’ books. The blog post was very candid, and it seemed to be very eye-opening for a lot of fans who had no idea this was going on.

Following Ordway’s post, there was a lot of condemnation of DC (and big publishers in general), and a lot of head shaking about what a tragedy it is that this is happening to these great comic creators.

And that kind of rubbed me the wrong way. Because we as comic fans are a big reason why this stuff is happening. It’s not a mystery, or a conspiracy--it’s a business. A business where publishers need to make money by selling stuff to us, the consumers. And when we buy the things they sell us, that tells them they should keep doing what they’re doing. When we don’t, it tells them they need to change. And when we tell them what we want and follow through with our spending dollars, we can actually get what we want.

But we don’t do that. Well, maybe you, the one jumping up and down all angry and self-righteous right now, does that, but not most comic fans. Most comic fans support brands, not creators. Most Batman fans bought Batman comics before Scott Snyder came along, and they’ll keep buying Batman comics when he moves on. Ditto for the Avengers, X-Men and Spider-Man. Sure, it’s nice when a creator you like is on a book and they’re doing a great job, but for many mainstream comic fans, what matters is the character/brand, not the creator.

Case in point--how many people have been buying the Human Bomb miniseries that Ordway has been drawing? It’s written by Palmiotti and Gray, as well. According to the January numbers, Human Bomb #2 sold 8,152 copies and was 193rd for the month. You could make the argument that with a creative team like that, no matter what character they were working on, the book should easily be in the top 100. In order to do that, the book would have needed to sell more than double what it did in January (#100 was Green Arrow at 19,888, a book that has been mediocre to just plain awful since the relaunch).

So, a book with an all-star creative team cannot hold a candle to brands like Superboy (another book that has gotten less than stellar reviews throughout), Before Watchmen (the books no one was going to buy because they’re outraged they even exist) and Teen Titans (which, despite being almost painfully bad from the start sells 60,000+ a month). I’m not picking on the books I just mentioned (I bought both Green Arrow and Superboy for several issues), I’m merely pointing out that people follow brands, not creators when it comes to mainstream characters. You can bet that if the Human Bomb miniseries was selling at least 20,000 copies an issue and people were raving about Ordway’s art, you’d see him on another project very soon. (On a side note, Palmiotti and Gray have already figured out the key to success--diversifying. They’re doing fine with DC now, but they have plenty of irons in the fire for the day the DC stuff dries up.)

So, if you’re sad about the fact that many of the creators you grew up with aren’t getting work anymore, do something about it. Stop buying crap every month just because it has your favorite superhero logo on it, and start buying up everything your favorite creator works on, not just the books with your favorite characters. Keep creators relevant with your dollars. Facebook and Twitter comments are not going to put food on their tables.

Except for that one time with Gail Simone and Batgirl--that was pretty amazing.


Battlestar Galactica Is Back!

3/13/2013

 
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by Matman

"There are those who believe that life here...began out there!"

This was the opening line of one of my favorite sci fi properties, the original Battlestar Galactica. After one season and a half hearted 'Galactica 1980', it was never to return. Sure we had some pretty good comics (Marvel, Realm Press and Homage) but I think we are ready for what could be the 'definitive' continuation of the series.

Coming from Dynamite Comics is 'Battlestar Galactica # 1'. This series will begin where the original series ended but have a few elements from 'Galactica 1980' including Doctor Zee. The series begins with Apollo and Starbuck lost in space and time following a surprise Cylon attack.

The book is drawn by Cezar Razek and features covers by Alex Ross and Chris Eliopolis but the thing that makes me the most excited about this is the writting team of Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning. If you were a fan of the Marvel Cosmic Universe than you know these two know 'big' and space.

Battlestar Galactica is a full color 32 page comic with a cover price of $3.99 and will be released on May 15th.

Sign Ups For SI Fantasy Baseball Are Underway!

3/12/2013

 
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It's that time again! The boys of summer are about to embark on another season of baseball, and the boys and gals of the SI community are right there with them!

The Secret Identity All-Stars fantasy baseball league is set up and accepting players now! We have 12 spots in the league, and there are 8 left. The draft will be next Saturday, March 23rd.

To sign up, head over to the main page at: baseball.fantasysports.yahoo.com

Our league ID is: 94251 (Secret Identity All-Stars)

The password is: podcast

Sign up now and get ready for the season!
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Why Is Captain America So Awesome?

3/11/2013

 
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by Matman

If you don't already know this about me, Captain America is my favorite super-hero. My attraction to him came from the fact that he was a super dude fighting the Nazi's during World War II.

With a comic book diet of Sgt. Rock, the Unknown Soldier and the Haunted Tank, Captain America could fit right in with those guys. But as the years went on, my love of Captain America became a little deeper, even though his comic book adventures left the battlefields of WWII.

All you need to do is look at his origin to see the heart of the hero. He was a scrawny kid (something I could relate too as a thin, blonde lil' guy myself) who hatted the fact that the Nazi's were just a bunch of bullies and wanted to help. As Steve Rogers he couldn't do anything but as super soldier Captain America... well, we know. This was played out with incredible passion in the Captain America film.

Years later his character became the classic 'man out of time', as he struggled trying to fit into a world he was not born to be in. His old school virtues conflicted with the times whether it was the 60's,70's or even today, but he never changed. In fact he would change those around him.  


Over the past 70 years or so of Captain America in print he has had some incredible creators chronicling his adventures like Jack Kirby, Ed Brubaker and Roy Thomas. In that span he has had some amazing adventures and well...'Cap Wolf'!

We have seen Cap put on ice and thawed, killed and have to face the reality that his World War II sidekick Bucky never died. But during all this time Captain America remained a symbol of America and all that is good about humanity. He represents all of us and we all represent him.

Thank you Joe Simon and Jack Kirby for creating one of the most important men in my life.

Usagi Yojimbo: The Way Of The Ronin Game Now Available On iOS

3/10/2013

 
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Press Release

HappyGiant, in association with Dark Horse Comics, announce “Usagi Yojimbo: Way of The Ronin”, a game now available for iPhones & iPads, and coming soon to Android devices and desktop PC’s (www.usagiyojimbogame.com).
 
In conjunction with the release of the game, Dark Horse Comics is announcing the first new Usagi Yojimbo collection after a year hiatus working on 47 Ronin. The first new book will be Usagi Yojimbo: A Town Called Hell, which will see release on July 17.
 
Usagi Yojimbo is the beloved character and world created by award winning author and illustrator Stan Sakai, following the tales of a ronin (masterless samurai), set in feudal Japan. This is the first videogame based on the property in over 25 years and will introduce the epic series to a new generation of fans.
 
“It’s been far too long since the last Usagi game, and I am so excited to be working with HappyGiant to bring Usagi and his friends back to these new platforms,” said Stan Sakai, “The game turned out great!”
 
“Happy Giant is thrilled to be working with Stan Sakai and Dark Horse to bring Usagi Yojimbo to the mobile and gaming worlds”, said Michael Levine, CEO of HappyGiant. “This is one of the most treasured properties in the comics world, and we are proud to be adapting it as a game for fans, and for a new generation of fans who will discover it for the first time. This is a real labor of love.”
 
The title is a “2D side-scrolling hack-and-slash game”, done in the comic’s art style, and in the vein of the old Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade game, to which Usagi is often linked, as the characters have appeared in each other’s comics and TV series over the years. The game features over 60 different enemies, over 13 boss monsters and several of Usagi’s friends who fight along his side as companions.
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